Pediatric fluid collector



Sept, 17, 1968 R. G. LEFLEY ET A1,

PEDIATRI C FLUID COLLECTOR Filed Feb. 18, 1965 United States Patent 3,401,697 PEDIATRIC FLUID CULLECTOR Robert G. Lel'ley, 517 S. Summit Ave., Wheaton, lil. 60187, and John G. Raffensperger, 190 Exmoor Ave., Glen Ellyn, lll. 60137 Filed Feb. 18, 1965, Ser. No. 433,679 Claims. (Cl. 12S- 295) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE The present application discloses a pediatric fluid col lector comprising a first sheet of thin, pliable material in the form of a patch readily conformable to the human skin contour such as heat-scalable polyethylene materialA One surface of the first sheet is adhesively coated for attachment to the human skin, the central portion of said sheet being free from contact with the users skin. A second apertured sheet is sealed to the first sheet in the vicinity of the margin which defines the aperture of the first sheet, said second sheet having a sealed coupling with one extremity of a flexible tube, the opposite extremity of said tube having a sealed connection with a urine receptacle adapted to be supported on the bed of the user.

This invention relates generally to pediatric fluid collectors and more specifically, to pediatric urine collectors for use with small children, particularly infants.

It has been found that conventional catheterization methods present certain problems and potential infection hazards to small children. The use of such methods frequently cause considerable discomfort as well as serious psychological disturbances. The present invention contemplates a fluid collecting device which avoids the abovementioned and other disadvantages and inconveniences which have heretofore been experienced. To this end the present invention contemplates the provision of a fluid collector which may be applied and removed with a minimum degree of skill and effort, and which will result in substantially no discomfort to the user.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved, novel fluid collector of the type referred to above which is of extremely simple construction and capable of being produced most economically.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a fluid collector which may be used with equal facility in the hospital or the home.

Still more specifically the present invention contemplates the use of a simple patch-like plastic sheet which may be applied with ease to the body of the user, and coupled directly with a fluid receiving means such as a flexible drainage tube.

In addition to the objects referred to above, the present invention further contemplates, for use in association with the device set forth above, a novel urine collection receptacle equipped with imeans for facilitating withdrawal of fluid therefrom without danger of contamination.

The foregoing and other objects and advantages will be more apparent from the following detailed drawing wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view disclosing the application of the present invention to an infant;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged view of the patch-like device for application to the infants body in association with the novel fluid collection receptacle;

FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of the various parts which comprise the patch-like sheet and parts to be associated therewith;

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FIG. 4 is an enlarged vertical sectional view taken substantially along the line 4-4 of FIG. 2, more clearly to disclose the manner in which the flexible drainage tube is associated with the patch or sheet;

FIG. 5 is a semidiagrammatic view illustrating the manner in which heat-sealing of the parts is accomplished by the use of inexpensive and conventional heatsealing means; and

FIG. 6 is a sectional View similar to FIG. 4, illustrating a pediatric urine collector of modied form.

Referring now to the drawing more in detail, wherein like numerals have been employed to designate similar parts throughout the various figures, it will be seen that applicant proposes to provide a device for application to the infants body designated generally by the numeral 10. The device 10 comprises a patch-like sheet 12 adapted to be applied to an infant, a drainage tube 14 extending from the member 12 and a collector receptacle 16.

The patch-like device 12 is disclosed more in detail in FIGS. 3 and 4. It will be seen that the device 12 includes a thin, pliable plastic sheet 18 which is preferably heat-sealed to the outer marginal portion of a similar flexible plastic disc 20. This disc 20 has a heat-sealed connection with the tube 14 along the annular area indicated by the numeral 22. The sheet or patch 18 may comprise a sheet of polyvinylchloride, polyethylene or other suitable plastic materials having the required strength, flexibility and freedom from skin irritation.

It has been found that a plastic film of very thin gauge (.002 to .O04 inch) may be employed. This sheet must be nonporous so as to avoid leakage of any fluid, and the flexibility of the sheet must be such that when applied to the anatomy, it will adhere itself to all skin surfaces, including creased areas and the like.

The surface of the sheet or patch 18 oppositely disposed from the side from which the tube 14 extends has a coating of pressure-sensitive adhesive 24. This pressure sensitive adhesive must be such as to avoid dermatological reaction for at least 24 hours and must be readily removable from the skin. In this connection it will be noted that an annular area surrounding the immediate vicinity of the tube 14, and indicated by the bracket 26, is free from adhesive. This is to avoid the application of the adhesive to the tender skin surfaces which might otherwise be subjected to irritation. A releasable paper backing or sheet 28 is employed to cover the adhesive side of the sheet 18. A small portion of one of the corners of the sheet 18 is preferably free from adhesive, thereby facilitating the ease with which the paper backing may be released from the plastic sheet or patch.

The receptacle or bag 16 may be made of plastic film slightly heavier in thickness than the applicator patch 18. A thickness of approximately .006 to .008 inch has been found satisfactory. At the top of the bag are two apertures 30 to facilitate suspending the receptacle 16 on the side of a bed 32. The material having the apertures 30 is separated from the liquid chamber designated generally by the numeral 34 (FIG. `2). On the left side of the receptacle or bag 16 as viewed in FIG. 2, markings are employed to indicate the volume of fluid in the receptacle. The area which contains these markings is also heat-sealed from the fluid chamber 34. The entry or drainage tube 14 is heat-sealed to the top of the bag, and the bottom of the bag is formed with a funnel-shaped extension 36 which can be snipped off with scissors at the tip, at the point indicated by the dot-and-dash line in FIG. 2. In this manner the collected fluid may be drained out of the receptacle for continued use after the tip of the funneleshaped extension 36 has been snipped oif. This remaining tip may be rolled up and clipped, thus sealing it off until further drainage is required.

In FIG. 5 we have illustrated diagrammatically the use of heat-sealing dies or blocks 38 and 40. The block 38 is formed with a central extension 42 adapted to be received by the free extremity of the tube 14, which extends through the washer portion Z0. Thus as the heated parts are brought together, the outer margin of the washer is heat-sealed to the plastic patch or sheet 12 and the projecting portion of the tube 14 is ared outwardly and heat-sealed against the adjacent inner margin of the washer 20. It will thus be apparent that a device constructed in accordance with the teaching of the present invention may be produced very economically because of its inherent structural simplicity.

FIG. 6 discloses a modified form of the invention and contemplates the use of a bulbous or funnel-shaped plastic sheet member 40 which is heat-sealed at its larger end to the sheet 18 and at its opposite end to the tube 14. The member 40 serves as a funnel to direct urine to the tube and it also renders the device usable for both male and female infants. The member 40 actually forms an enlargement of the tube 14 in the vicinity of the patch or sheet 18.

From the foregoing, it will be apparent that the present invention provides a distinct improvement in current techniques of urine collection from infants. As set forth above, catheterization is the only present effective technique for prolonged urine collection and is often utilized for single specimens when other present methods fail.

The introduction of a catheter requires sterile technique and, even so, inevitably introduces infection into the gemito-urinary tract. The present invention assures the efiicient and effective collection of single unsterile specimens from infants who are not yet old enough to void voluntarily. By employing the techniques contemplated hereby clean voided specimens in sterile containers for urine culture from infants is assured.

Although certain practical embodiments of the invention are disclosed in the various figures, it will be apparent that other modifications and changes may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

The invention is claimed as follows:

1. A pediatric urine collector comprising a rst sheet of thin, pliable material in the form of a patch readily conformable to human skin contours for covering the urogenital organ of a child, said first sheet having a central aperture to provide an area free from adhesive Contact with a corresponding area of the users skin, a second sheet sealed to said first sheet along the marginal portion thereof which defines said aperture, said second sheet having an aperture in registration with and substantially smaller in diameter than the aperture of the rst sheet, fiexible tube means extending from and having a sealed coupling with the marginal area defining the aperture of said second sheet, and adhesive material associated with the surface of said first sheet oppositely disposed with respect to the surface from which said tube extends for sealingly adhering said first sheet to the skin of the user surrounding said unrogenital area.

2. A pediatric urine collector as set forth in claim 1 wherein said rst and second sheets, 4before application to the user, are disposed in substantially parallel planes.

3. A pediatric urine collector as set forth in claim 1 wherein a releasable backing covers the adhesively coated surface of the iirst sheet.

4. A pediatric urine collector as set forth in claim 1 wherein the thin, pliable material of the first sheet and the material of the second sheet, as well as the material of the tube means coupled therewith, are heat-sealable.

5. A pediatric urine collector as set forth in claim 1 including a fluid receptacle connected with the extremity of said exible tube oppositely disposed from the coupling thereof with said second sheet.

6. A pediatric urine collector as set forth in claim 1 having a liiuid receptacle sealably coupled with the extremity of said flexible tube means oppositely disposed from the coupling thereof with said rst sheet whereby to present a completely sealed, unitary structure.

7. A pediatric urine collector as set forth in claim 1 including fluid receptacle means connected with the extremity of the flexible tube oppositely disposed from the coupling thereof with said first sheet, the bottom portion of said receptacle means having a funnel-shaped extension providing a lower, sealed tip adapted to be severed transversely for the purpose of providing a discharge opening.

3. A pediatric urine collector as set forth in claim 1 further comprising a bag sealed along its upper extremity, and having a funnel-shaped lower extremity with the tip thereof sealed and adapted to extend downwardly when in use, said lower tip extremity adapted to be severed transversely to permit withdrawal of fluid from the bag, means at the upper portion of said bag connectible with a liexible tube, and means for supporting the upper extremity of said bag when in use.

9. A pediatric urine collector as set forth in claim 1, wherein said tube means is provided with a section of increased internal diameter constituting the second sheet, said internal diameter being sufiicient to assure a predetermined area of the collector free from adhesive contact with the users skin.

10. A pediatric urine collector as set forth in claim 9 wherein said section of the tube means of enlarged internal diameter is funnel-shaped in longitudinal section, with the smaller extremity of said section positioned outwardly of said first sheet.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,548,149 4/ 1951 Fowler 128-295 2,703,576 3/1955 Furl' 128--283 2,898,917 8/ 1959 Wallace 128--350 2,904,047 9/ 1959 Hamilton 12S-295 2,936,757 5/1960 Trace 12S-275 3,077,883 2/1963 Hill 128--295 3,227,162 l/l966 Aguirre 12S-295 3,259,920 7/1966 Voller 12S-275 3,292,626 12/ 1966 Schneider 12S-295 CHARLES F. RosENBAUM, Primary Examiner. 

